The jury of the 4th edition of the Hydrogénies competition, the hydrogen trophies, met on Thursday, April 20, 2023 at the MEDEF International premises where the Hydrogen Task Force is headquartered, in Paris. Objective: to elect the 2023 hydrogen champions!
The members of the competition jury, composed of the best hydrogen experts from universities, governments, businesses and communities, spent hours studying dozens of project files. For these professionals in the sector and elected officials, it was a question of selecting the best among the 8 specific prize categories that were rewarded in 2023:
– Low-carbon or renewable industry prize
– Price of Storage and recovery of renewables
– Price of rail or aeronautical or maritime/river mobility
– Land freight transport prices
– Price of the Passenger Transport Service
– Awareness, Education and Training Award
– Industry Decarbonization Award (new award this year)
– Territorial Transition Prize
In 2023, the competition organization received as many applications as in the previous 2 years. In addition, the level of quality and scale of the projects presented has increased significantly, sometimes making the jury’s choices difficult.
The requirement focused in particular on environmental criteria, innovative nature, creation of value and localized jobs, international development and territorial replicability, in accordance with the directives of the Regulation published in 2019.
“Favorite” and “Hydrogen Personality of the Year”
As in 2022, the judges wanted to award the “Coup de cœur” prize to a disruptive and particularly audacious project. This prize aims to reward, and therefore encourage, a young team to continue on an innovative path and to give it more visibility among investors.
The prestigious “Hydrogen Personality of the Year” award was unanimously awarded this year by the jury to an industry leader who has worked particularly hard to develop one of the mobility branches of the hydrogen sector. The winner will be presented with an original work of art symbolizing the new “hydrogen society”, as was already the case in 2022. This year’s work, entitled “Hydrogen 2023” by the Artist, was created especially for this award. The organizers would like to thank the generous donor, Haffner Energy, who financed the creation of this work of art.
Avis d’experts
The Hydrogénies are a great way to highlight the successes and promising projects of the French hydrogen sector. This year, professional experts have done an admirable job and they are the ones who talk about it best.
“The list of proposed topics and the level of innovation are truly impressive. The readings are fascinating and the choices difficult. It was with great pleasure that I took part in the game, and from my Brussels vision within the framework of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, I note that many proposals are of a comparable level to the suggestions of topics that we receive during the construction of European calls for projects.”
Michael Diderich, R&D Director, Hydrogen Europe
“I am very proud to be part of the jury for the 2023 edition of Hydrogénies. We had many applications, each more interesting and promising than the last. I see the hydrogen sector growing day by day, not only in size but in quality and structure. I look forward to meeting the winners on May 24, during the 24th European Energy Transition Conferencein this superb city of Bordeaux. Thank you all for your work, your commitment!”
Adam Screnci, Hydrogen consultant, president of Suhyso
“The Hydrogénies are a fantastic way to highlight the successes and promising projects of the French hydrogen sector. Beyond the analysis of the intrinsic qualities of the projects, it is also an invitation to question the local impact of the projects, their acceptability and projection outside of France.”
Bogdan Gadenne-FeertchakDirector of Strategy and Development, Coordinator — Hydrogen Task Force, Movement of French International Enterprises — MEDEF International
“I would like to say that I had the pleasure of finding and supporting projects that I had already encountered.
Bretons like that of EHM, Piriou or Lorient Agglo. But not only that, since I also supported that of GCK on the snow groomers in ski resorts, which welcomed a work-study student from ENSIBS in Lorient for their mission in Saint-Etienne! I also salute all the other numerous projects that cover the entire spectrum of needs.
Pr. Philippe MandinUniversity professor at the National School of Engineers of Southern Brittany (ENSIBS) Lorient, Specialist in energy, electrochemical and hydrogen systems, processes and procedures, Researcher at IRDL, UMR CNRS 6027
Mobilization for the sector
The competition organisers would particularly like to thank Fabienne Lagarde, Vice-President for Higher Education, Research and Innovation at Le Mans Métropole, Professor and Researcher, Pierre Serre-combe, Deputy Director of Energy Programmes in charge of New Hydrogen Technologies at the CEA, Toshimichi Hasegawa, Deputy Director General of the Paris Representative Office, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Laurent Meillaud, Editor of Hydrogen Today and TV presenter, and also those who were unable to join the meeting due to scheduling or last-minute issues: Valérie Nouvel, Vice-President for Transition and Adaptation to Climate Change and Chair of the Nature and Infrastructure Commission of the Manche CD, Romain Hyart, Event Project Manager and European Energy Transition Conference-Euraénergie, Olivier Joubert, Director of the Hydrogen Research Federation – URM6502, and Valérie Bouillon-Delporte, director of Michelin’s Hydrogen ecosystems.
An unmissable event
In 5 years, the awards ceremony has become one of the unmissable events in the hydrogen sector. The awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday May 24, 2023 at 4 p.m. in the plenary room of the Palais des congrès de Bordeaux within the framework and as a highlight of the 24th European Energy Transition Conference (AETE) which is, let us recall, the most important annual event for Ademe and the thousands of local government officials who participate. The Hydrogénies ceremony will be followed by a cocktail, offered by the Valorem company, then followed by a dinner for 1000 guests.
Photo above: Jury of the Hydrogénies, the 2023 hydrogen trophies, one part was in person, the other remotely. © SAKURA Consulting
